Ronin Warriors: The Lost Seven
by Jonah Mark
Summary: One year has passed since the demise of Talpa; however, the peace is ended at the arrival of seven warriors bent on destruction. The Ronin Warriors find themselves pitted against a new enemy, Mia has to do some more studying, and Kayura's past is shown.
1. Prologue

Ronin Warriors II:

Ronin Warriors II:

The Lost Seven

Prologue

Many years ago, when conquers and warriors fought, died, and ruled over the land, the demon lord came and sought to enslave humanity. Entering through the large portal gates, his armies poured into the land, seeking to conquer and destroy. The feudal daimyo rallied together to defeat this evil Lord, but they could not. They were turned to his side through their lust for power and wealth.

But, there was one who could defeat him. After many battles and sacrifices, the Ancient One finally gained the victory. To stop the demon lord from coming back, he created nine mystical armors, purifying the armors by infusing them with virtuous qualities. The demon's armor was split into nine armors; however, the sub-armor remained. The Ancient continued on with his task. He forged seven armors out of the demon Lord's sub-armor.

While they were different and separate from the other nine, they were similar and substitutive to the other nine. The demon lord would have his armor and power back by finding the nine, but he would not have all of his strength unless he found all sixteen pieces.

Over the next few centuries, the demon lord searched through the earth to find his armor. He took four of them under his command, but five of them opposed his demonic strength. The spirit of the demon Lord was destroyed through the power of the five, and peace was restored to the world once again.

However, the other seven, who were not necessary to the demon lord's return, were not searched for as fervently as the other nine. They were forgotten by all.


	2. Story of the Past Part 1

Episode One

The Story of the Past

Within the dim light of the courtroom, a young man stood before the throne of the demon Lord. Shackled, he stood solemnly with his head hung low, staring at the metal cuffs around his wrists.

The demon Lord named Talpa sat quietly as the light of flames danced over his armor. He wore a red mask, but as the young man looked up, he knew in his heart that there was a smile behind that mask.

The four generals of the Dynasty, along with Lady Kayura, entered into the courtroom, breaking the silence. They feel quiet as they stumbled upon the scene. Lord Talpa stood up from his throne and walked down the red carpet.

The four generals and Lady Kayura bowed to their master and lined up in their places. Lord Talpa stopped before the young man, towering high above him with his enormous stature.

All eyes went to the young man. He stood solemnly before the dark Lord with his head bowed. His hands were shacked. His feet were shacked. He was a prisoner of Lord Talpa.

Kayura, wearing her kimono, felt the soft material rub against the back of her neck as she turned her head. Her deep blue eyes locked upon the young man. He looked utterly miserable and defeated. Curiously, he stood in sub-armor identical to that of the four Generals; however, there were two colors combined to make his sub-armor—forest green and copper. Kayura raised her head, trying to get a better glance. The young man had blonde hair with locks that ran over into his emerald green eyes.

Finally, Talpa burst out into laughter, raising his arms towards the ceiling. The young man's head hung lower. "My will has succeed, as it always will, Kirin! Now do you question your ability to defy my will?

The young man stood silent.

"Now, Kirin, you will know what it means to defy the Dynasty and the will of Lord Talpa…"

The young man known as Kirin jerked his head up, blonde locks fell into his eyes. Anger flashed in his eyes as he stared the demon Lord down. "I understand that we made agreement Talpa, but I don't want a lecture to come with it."

Talpa chuckled. He put his hand to his chin and pondered for a moment. "You may be defiant now, but there will come a day when the pleasures the Dynasty has to offer will make your heart succumb to me." The dark Lord walked forward, stepping shoulder to shoulder to whisper Kirin. "I can give you all that you desire. Just serve me wholeheartedly, and I can give you all that you desire."

"I desire nothing from you."

The demon Lord faintly chuckled. "We will see." He continued to walk, passing past the young man. After he passed, Talpa gently waved his hand, releasing the shackles off Kirin.

Kirin turned around to look at the demon Lord.

Talpa motioned to Kirin. "Warlords, another has pledged his service to the Dynasty. This is Kirin of the Armor of Forest."

"Armor of the Forest?" Dais, the Warlord of Illusion, stepped forward with a questioning look on his face.

The others stared at the young man.

Lord Talpa circled around Kirin. "Warlords, make our new warrior feel welcome." He walked back to his throne and sat down.

"Yes, Master Talpa," The Warlords said.

The young man's head drooped.

* * *

The young man known as Kirin was now in service to Emperor Talpa, ruler of the Dynasty and one of the most powerful conquerors of the Netherworld. As he sat alone at the table in the tea room, his heart sank as images flashed through his memory. He closed his eyes. The scream ringing through his ears were almost audible. After a few moments, he opened his and looked around the room to keep tears from rolling down his face. The castle was dark and unfriendly, made of old wood and hard, cold stones. The dimly lit tearoom was illuminated by many candles sitting on the tabletop. He put his elbows on the table and covered his face with his hands. He hadn't even been here one day, but death seemed like a better option.

Bickering about campaigns and battle strategies, the Warlords entered into the room, but silenced their conversation at the sight of the new warrior. Kirin put his hands down on the table and quickly choked back the forming tears.

The Warlords stared at him for a moment. Sekhmet crossed his arms.

"What are you doing here, boy?" Anubis asked.

"I'm not a boy," Kirin sat up straight.

Dais smirked. "You sure look like it."

"Just because I'm not an old grandfather like you…"

"It would do you well to watch your tongue, boy," Sekhmet took a step forward. "You're in the Dynasty now."

"I never asked to be here." Kirin glanced off towards a dark corner.

"Well, you are here." Kale came forward and took a seat at the table. "How about some tea now?" v He motioned the others to sit down. He looked around. "Where are the servants?"

"They're getting it right now," Kirin glumly said.

Dais slapped the new warrior on the back. "Cheer up! We're going into battle soon." He pulled out a piece of parchment with a crude map drawn on it. "We were just discussing the best strategy."

Kirin sat silently.

"So, boy," Anubis kinked his neck. "Tell us about this armor of yours."

"Yes, that is an interesting subject" Kale put his hand over his chin.

"I'm twenty years old. I am a man."

The Warlords chuckled.

"When you're as old as we are, twenty years old is like the blink of an eye," Kale said before yawning.

Kirin looked back and forth between the warriors. "How old are you?" They didn't appear a day over twenty-five.

"I'm about 407-408 years old," Dais said causally. "It's difficult to remember sometimes."

"But how?"

Anubis smirked. "That is one of the many pleasures and privileges of serving Master Talpa." He looked over at his fellow Warlords. "We all have been given immortality."

Kirin shook his head. "But why would you want to live forever?" His family, now dead, crossed his mind once more. "Everyone you would ever know or love would pass on, and you would continue to live on forever."

Anubis laughed, echoing a hint of cruelty mixed with his amusement. "Spoken like a true weakling. Men have fought ferociously for even the hope of finding immortality. With such a gift, power, wealth, all that one desires can be obtained. With immortality, one can achieve his wildest dreams."

Kirin's eyebrows hunched. "Aren't you just achieving Talpa's wildest dreams?"

The Warlords each looked initially shocked at first, but they quickly fell into different reactions. Anubis turned his head, snubbing the idea of the boy's philosophy. Dais and Sekhmet shook their heads at the idealistic child—he would soon learn his place, but Kale fell silent, and his eyes looked down towards the table, expressing a state of deep thought.

Soon the servants came in, interrupting the awkward moment, and they served tea and rice cakes to the Warlords. After they started snacking, conversation began again with small talk. Kirin remained silent, trying to stay uninvolved, but again, the question arose—where did the armor come from?

He was dressed like them—in metal sub-armor, except his pattern was different compared to the Warlords. Resembling their future enemies (the Ronin Warriors) the sub-armor that Kirin bore was two colors: forest green and copper. His chest, legs, arms, belt, cod-piece, and stomach were colored with the forest green while his thighs, upper-arms, and sides were copper.

"You should know." Kirin kept his eyes on the table then took a slip from his tea cup.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Dais asked.

"It is from your Master."

"Liar!" Anubis fumed.

"I speak the truth."

"That stupid monk split Master Talpa's armor into nine armors. We've fought them before—many years ago—and you're not one of them." Anubis said, angrily.

"Yes, where does this supposed "Armor of Forest" come from?" Sekhmet asked.

"I told you," Kirin looked up at them. "From your Master."

"Explain then because you have us all quite baffled," Kale requested.

"It is true that Talpa's armor was split into nine different armors, but his sub-armor was made into armors also."

"How many?" Dais asked, skeptical.

Kirin shook his head. "I don't know."

"How many do you think? Do you know of any others?" Sekhmet asked, worrying cracking through his tough voice.

Kirin stared for a moment, glancing around at all of them. "I don't know," he lied.

"Well, we'll see," Anubis crossed his arms. "We'll find out what you really are and this supposed armor of yours can do on the battlefield soon enough."

"Fine," Kirin uttered.

* * *

He found that if he did not use the hours within a day that the hours would just use him instead. Hour after hour would pass quickly yet feeling ever so slow within his days. It had been two days within the Dynasty, but it felt like a lifetime of eternal wasting to him. He would eat and train with the other Warlords, but his free-time was empty. The Warlords had their own methods of passing the time, but none of them seemed worthwhile to him. Anubis spent a lot of his time admiring his possessions—bounty from battle, gifts from his Master, and all the other acquired wealth and symbols of power from his conquests. Dais, however, found it exciting to chase after the servant girls of the castle. Sekhmet was a quite man, mostly keeping to himself and playing with his snakes. For entertainment, he would toss the captured rats to his prized serpents from the homemade rodent traps he himself constructed. Kale was a reader, always found with a candle in hand and parchment in another. Also, he was an outdoor man, taking off for days at a time to spend alone time in the wilderness.

Kirin, however, did not find things that he enjoyed about the Dynasty. The fresh wound of the recent events that transpired still made his heart bleed in agony. Whenever things calmed down for a moment and he was alone, the memories would resurface within his mind. He was constantly surrounded by the Dynasty, reminding him of his cruel fate. Feeling his mind go mad, he stormed up and down the corridors of the castle, looking for relief.

He found an exit to the outside, except this entrance was different. Instead of stepping out into dreary castle courtyards and stone mazes, he walked out onto the gardens of the castle. He breathed a sigh of relief, finding beauty within the darkness of the Dynasty. His heart lightened as he stepped onto the cobble-stone pathway and began to walk through the gardens. The grass was lush and green, something usual within the walls of the castle. Soon, he came over a small red bridge that bowed over a tiny creek. While on the bridge, he leaned over the edge, looking down into the water. Colorful koi fish swam happily up and down the clear creek. He continued on, heading into the next section of the garden. The cobble-stone pathway was lined with sort green bushes. Short thick green trees and many wisteria brushes filled the view. Petals from the lavender colored bushes fluttered gently in the breeze as he passed through. He pushed further into the garden while taking his time to discover the many secrets that it hid.

As he would turn corners, he would discover new surprises. There would be stone benches that he would not have seen: small ponds with more koi fish, and small waterfalls. The wisteria grew thicker and sweeter smelling as he walked. The purple flowers danced as the wind rustled the plants, waving back and forth, hypnotizing his sight. As the wisteria fluttered back and forth, an image appeared between the flowers—it was a girl.

She gently turned her head, her eyelashes fluttering as she locked eyes with him. Her dark hair was long, flowing down the back of her beautiful kimono. Her face was like a soft crème, but stoic, in the appearance of angelic. Her face expressed a collectiveness that communicated disinterest or aloofness, but her eyes lured his attention. It was then that his heart forgot to beat.

He kept staring. His foot slowly stepped forward, resting upon the lush green grass, but she quickly turned around, her eyes lingering as she turned. Her face tilted downwards as she turned her back to him and began to walk away.

"Wait!" He called out, reaching out and taking another step.

She disappeared within the wisteria.

* * *

They trained everyday, staring at the crack of dawn. The Warlords of the Dynasty would rise early, before the sun even peeked over the horizon, and head to the training hall. They would train until late morning, taking a break for breakfast, then continuing with their vigorous schedule. It was only after lunch did they finish their five hour training block.

Today, Kirin groggily walked into the training hall, but it was empty. He looked around for a moment, and not seeing anyone, he sat down on the tatami mats. Within a few moments, the next two Warlords walked in. Dais, yawning, immediately headed over to the weights, not bothering to stretch, but Kale took the time to stretch out his muscles. Kirin stood up and began to stretch his arms.

Anubis walked in with Sekhmet following closely behind. Anubis seemed to be bickering about something with Sekhmet, but he stopped at the sight of the new recruit. His eyebrows hunched over his angry eyes, and he stared Kirin down.

"What?" Kirin shrugged his shoulders.

Anubis crossed his arms as a smirk spread across his face. "I think perhaps we should spar today."

"You know that we only spar at the end of the week. It's a personal training day today," Dais said, lifting a dumbbell.

"A change of pace would be a good thing." Anubis looked over at Dais.

"You know we have a strict regiment to follow," Kale said.

Anubis waved his hand, rolling his eyes at the same time. "Forget that. I think we should spar today." He walked over to Kirin and stopped behind him, throwing his arms around Kirin's shoulders. "Besides, I think our little general needs to show what he's made of." Anubis pinched Kirin's cheek.

Annoyed, Kirin pushed Anubis away.

Sekhmet sighed. "I don't see the point, Anubis."

"I'm the leader…"

The other three generals jumped to attention.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Dais hissed.

Anubis smirked, walking away from Kirin. "Master Talpa has said so."

Sekhmet crossed his arms. "Master Talpa has said nothing directly about any of us being the leader. You know that, Anubis! Or have you taken one too many blows to the head?"

"I don't know why you want to spar anyway, Anubis. You'll just lose and go crying to Master Talpa," Dais said.

"I beg to differ!"

"What are you Warlords bickering about?"

The five men turned towards the sound of the voice. Standing in the entrance of the training hall, a young woman with long flowing dark hair stood dressed in a light blue jumpsuit with thin, light brown armor. An amused smirk spread across her face as she looked over the frazzled Warlords.

Kirin looked up. The frustration washed away from his face as his eyes fell upon the woman.

"What do you want, Kayura?" Dais hissed.

"I've come to train with you."

"You know this is our time," Kale said. "You're training is in the afternoon."

"Like training is going to make you any better," She said.

"Go away, Kayura," Sekhmet groaned. "Your mere presence is exhausting."

"No, why don't you stay Kayura?" Anubis.

"What?" The other three Warlords looked over at Anubis. Out of all of them, Anubis hated Kayura the most.

"She can stay and spar. Kirin here has yet to compete against the warriors of the Dynasty."

The other three generals smiled. Lady Kayura was the strongest warrior of the Dynasty—as much as they hated to admit it. At the end of every week, Lord Talpa would host a sparring competition for all of his Warlords, generals, and fighters among the castle. Every week, Kayura would put the Warlords into their places. They were the mighty Warlords of the Dynasty, but they were no match for the girl from the Ancient's clan.

Lady Kayura's eyes set on Kirin. The two of them locked eyes for a moment—his green eyes caught her beautiful blue eyes, but she tore them away after a few moments. She nodded. "Yes, I will fight."

Kirin leaned toward Kale. "Who is she?"

"Lady Kayura."

Kirin continued to stare at her. "Lady Kayura," He uttered, just above a whisper.

She came forward, getting into place on the mat. She quickly moved into a fighting stance and shouted a ki-hop. The Warlords quickly moved to the side of the room.

Kirin looked over at the Warlords. "I don't know if we should be doing this. It's all quite…" Kayura's fist flew into his face, and he tumbled over.

The Warlords immediately burst into laughter. They howled and cackled as they watched Kirin grab his blood nose. From laughing so hard, Dais grabbed his sides, Anubis held back his tears, Sekhmet laughed at the top of his lungs, and Kale grinned like a mountain lion.

Shaken up, Kirin quickly scrambled to his feet, still holding his nose. The mysterious Kayura stood with a small smirk on her face as she waited in her place.

Kirin stared her down for a moment then gave a final wipe to his nose. He took a fighting position, Kayura did the same, and he cried out, ready for attack. They both ferociously charged. Thinking she had the upper-hand, Kayura threw the first attack, but Kirin dodged and counterattacked. The fight was on.

Back and forth, the two warriors kicked, punched, blocked, and dodged each other's assaults. The Warlords stopped laughing as they watched the scene unfold. Kayura, by far, had the best karate form of the Dynasty warriors, but it appeared that Kirin's skills were as equal or possibility even greater than Kayura's.

"He's good," Dais uttered.

"Very good," Sekhmet added.

Anubis frowned, crossing his arms.

"I never would have thought the boy had such ability." Kale cocked his head in wonder.

"I suppose that if his armor is truly apart of Master Talpa's then he would be a true warrior," Dais said.

Kale nodded. "Yes, indeed, it must be true."

"I'm not convinced," Anubis said.

"Of course you're not," Sekhmet said. "Nobody can convince you of any logic when you're jealous."

"I'm not jealous!"

Sekhmet glanced over at Dais and Kale, who also immediately glanced over at him too.

Usually, sparring matches went by three points, but this time, the two fighters seemed to be oblivious to that rule. It wasn't about points, but rather a knockout. Kayura charged forward and leapt up into the air. She extended her foot, ready to strike Kirin in the face, but Kirin sidestepped, grabbed her leg, and threw her to the ground. The Warlords winced as Kayura's face smacked into the floor. Quickly, Kirin turned and stood over her, ready to strike her neck. He had won the fight.

The Warlords cheered, that is, except Anubis. The other three ran over to Kirin and started tackling him. Finally, one of them had defeated Kayura. They picked Kirin up and carried him off celebrating the occasion. Anubis followed with a sour look on his face.

Just before the Warlords carried him out of the room, Kirin looked back. Kayura, slowly picking herself up off the floor, looked straight back at him—her eyes like fiery daggers. Then she looked away.

Kirin looked away towards the hallway as the Warlords carried him away.


	3. Story of the Past Part 2

**Episode Two**

**The Story of the Past Pt. 2**

He sighed as the hot steam rose up from the water and entered his nostrils. The bathhouse was hot and steamy making it almost difficult to breathe. The water was so hot that his skin began to turn pink, but the warmth felt good after training for so many hours.

It was just after lunch when Kirin stepped into the water. He was tired from training and a large lunch, closing his eyes as he rested against the rocky sides. The bathhouse was inside the castle, but it was built with uncut stones from outside. The stones were lined up to form an artificial pond that was heated underneath. He let out another sigh as the peaceful silence lulled him into a nap.

That is, until, the Warlords came bursting into the room. They were fighting about something, as they always did, and louder than four normal men should. Kirin jerked up and looked over. One by one they jumped into the hot water, splashing Kirin and wetting his blonde hair.

"What are you up to, boy?" Sekhmet asked.

Kirin rolled his eyes. "I'm trying to relax."

"Don't get offended!" Dais said. "I know something that'll make you into a man!"

"And what is that?" Kirin asked.

"Saké!" The Warlords exclaimed.

Anubis grabbed a wooden tray with ceramic cups and a flask. He poured himself a cup then passed it around. Each of the Warlords poured himself a cup, and finally, the tray fell to Kirin. He did not take it. Dais took the liberty to pour him a cup, and he handed it to Kirin, but Kirin did not take it.

"Here, drink." Dais motioned for him to take the cup.

Kirin shook his head.

"Why not?" Sekhmet gulped his cup. "Take it!"

"Men in my village do not drink."

"You aren't in your village," Anubis sneered. "You're in the Dynasty now, if it still hasn't sunk into your little head."

"It does not matter. I will not break our traditions."

Anubis snorted then muttered something under his breath.

Kale stared down at his half-drank cup, remembering that at one time, he did not drink either, being a devote Buddhist.

The other Warlords carried on obnoxiously so Kirin turned around, grabbed his dry towel, and got out of the water. He wrapped the towel around him and quickly left the bathhouse.

"What's with him?" Dais took another drink.

"He's probably offended," Sekhmet said. "Self-righteous child."

"He'll learn," Anubis growled. "Or else…"

"Or else what?" Kale sneered.

"I'll just have to teach him a lesson." Anubis poured himself another cup of saké.

Kirin quickly headed to his bedroom in his towel. Once he was in the room, he dried himself off and headed over towards the bed. Next to the bed, on the wooden dresser, there was a small glass orb. He picked up the glass orb and rolled it in the palm of his hand. He stared at the orb for a moment. Flashing, the kanji in the orb glowed brightly—_Un—_the kanji of luck.

He looked towards the closet. Instead of donning his sub-armor, he went to the closet and picked out some of the clothes placed in there by the servants. He reached in, grabbing a green uwagi, which is like a martial arts top, a pair of brown zubon pants, and a brown obi sash. He put on the clothing and headed out of the room.

Kirin aimlessly wandered the castle—his soul restless and heavy. It was mostly quiet in the castle as he walked up and down the corridors only passing a random detachment of soldiers or a servant every once in a while. He came to an intersection of major hallways, and immediately avoided the right, which led to the throne room. Instead, he chose the left, which led him towards the training hall. As he approached, he heard someone in the room. He stopped in the doorway and looked on in.

The warrior, leapt back and forth over the tatami mats, practicing her karate. She moved swiftly and gracefully with precision and accuracy. She wore her usual fighting outfit—the blue jumper, white nylons, tall black boots, and thin brown armor. Her weapons—the jutte sai—were in the holsters in the back as she worked on her unarmed technique.

He stood there, watching, for what seemed like hours, but it only took her moments to turn around and see him standing there. His presence started her, and she stopped quickly. She stood there, staring angrily at him, while she crossed her arms.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you."

"You Warlords have your training time in the morning, and I…"

"I'm not a Warlord," Kirin said.

"Then what are you?" Kayura put her hands on her hips. "You look like one of them, and you're as much of a nuisance."

A small grin washed over his face—she was fiery. He began to gently shake his head. "I didn't choose to be here, and I will never be one of those Warlords."

"Then why _are_ you here?" She asked bluntly.

"I'm here by force."

"Pitiful," She sneered, turning her back to him.

He faint smiled, feeling her distain for him. "Is there something I did to offend you?"

She spun back around, her face still stone cold, but she quickly looked away again.

"This is about the fight."

"If that's what you think," She hissed.

Kirin stepped into the room. "Perhaps you would like a rematch?"

"I'm training. I don't have time to waste."

"I'm sure a rematch would be beneficial to your training…"

"Oh, fine!" She interrupted. "If you insist!"

He smirked as he walked across the tatami mats. "Weapons or no weapons?"

"Whatever!"

Kirin waked over to the wall. Hanging all over the walls, mounts with all types of weapons bordered the room. He looked over them carefully. "Any preference?"

"Just pick something!"

He grabbed two bō staffs. He threw one to Kayura, which she caught one-handed, then walked over to the side.

Kayura gripped onto her staff tightly, feeling the knots in the wood. She swung it around and twirled to get a feel for its weight, but as she twirled, she glanced up for a brief moment.

He was taking off his shirt. The green shirt slowly slid down over his toned figure. As she glanced up, she accidentally hit herself in the back of the head with the staff. She quickly picked up the staff and tried to keep him from noticing, but her cheeks blushed a fiery red.

He threw the green shirt and the brown belt in the corner, only wearing his brown zubon pants. He stepped back onto the mats with his bare feet and started twirling his staff like Kayura did earlier.

They stared each other down as they moved into fighting stance. Charging forward, the two warriors ran across the room towards one another. The bō staffs clashed together. They backed off and attacked again. The fight had begun.

As the fight carried on, a curious spectator peeked through the doorway. Excited, the Warlord of Illusion disappeared then quickly reappeared with the other Warlords. The Warlords scrambled into the room to watch the duel.

As the fight went back and forth, Kayura regretted letting him choose a weapon. The staff was one of her weakest weapons, but it appeared that it was one of his best; nevertheless, she handled herself well. She glanced over to the side, seeing those obnoxious Warlords cheering. She rolled her eyes then turned her attention back to the enemy.

They paused for a moment to gather their composure. He stood up straight, leaning against his staff. He wiped the sweat from his brow then flashed a smile. She stood, puffing, as her cheeks flushed bright red.

"Well, I suppose I should really start trying now," He smiled.

They charged again. It was unbelievable. He was just toying with her earlier. As she fought, he was just as fast and even more powerful than she was. His relentless attacks caught her off balance. She could barely keep up. The Warlords were laughing at her. She was about to lose. She did the last thing she could—she kneed him in the groin.

He doubled over in pain and feel to the ground, dropping his staff. She towered over him, mortified at her reaction. The Warlords burst out into laughter. Kirin looked up at her, his face wrenched with pain.

* * *

Embarrassed, he skipped dinner, avoiding the descending and mocking of the other Warlords. He sat in his bedroom trying to amuse himself, but there were only the basics essentials in the room. He hadn't been there long enough to collect enough entertainment items compared to the other Warlords. Anubis had treasure and weapons plundered from battle, Dais had spiders, Sekhmet had snakes, and Kale had his books. Kirin, however, only had a rubber ball that he bounced against the wall all evening.

As the time passed, and he thought the Warlords would finally be in their rooms, he came out of his room and wandered the hallways, heading for the kitchen. The castle appeared to be quiet as everyone was settling in for the night. The kitchen was on the entire other side of the castle, but he was hungry. He quickly weaved for the corridors, hearing his stomach growl in the silence. He turned to the right around corner, fast, and crashed.

The two collided straight into each other, smacking their heads together and falling over.

"Watch where you're going!" Kayura grabbed her head. A large lump was beginning to form.

"Me?" Kirin exclaimed, picking himself up off the floor. "You're the one who turned the corner in the wrong place!"

"Turned the corner in the _wrong place_?" She stood up, putting her hands on her hips.

"Yes!" He insisted. "You always walk on the right side so that things like this don't happen."

She shook her head. "You're ridiculous! You should watch where you are going! You're going to hurt someone!"

He crossed his arms over his chest. "And you would know plenty about hurting people, wouldn't you?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" She hissed.

"Ahem," He cleared his throat.

"Oh," She looked away, embarrassed.

Silence fell between them.

"So…" She continued to look at her feet. "Is…I mean…well…" She looked up, blushing. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm alright," He said, more composed.

She nodded. "Well…that's good."

"Yes...thank you." He glanced away.

Silence fell again, but soon, Kayura took a step back and bowed her head. "I must be going." She disappeared.

Kirin stood dumbfounded for a moment then headed towards the kitchen.

* * *

Instead of heading to morning training, the Warlords were summoned to the throne room. The demon Lord, who never rested nor slept, sat upon his throne all night, brewing thoughts of destruction and evil. One by one, the Warlords came—a candle lighting up for the presence of each Warlord.

The thought disturbed him as a fifth candle lit up for his presence just like the other Warlords. He glanced over, noticing Kayura's presence. Her words ruminated in his mind all night long. Was he just like the Warlords?

Usually when Talpa summoned the Warlords, Lady Kayura was not included, but this morning, she was called also. Talpa sat quietly on his throne while his warriors assembled. He did not speak even though they had arrived and lined up in place. After a few moments, the warriors began looking around at one another, but finally, the demon Lord spoke, "The time has come."

"What is your desire, Master Talpa?" Anubis bowed as he spoke.

"War," The demon Lord said, and with that, evil grins washed over the Warlord's faces. Kirin, however, looked up towards the demon Lord, worried.

"To the east," Talpa breathed

"The Kingdom of Sung has been too defiant towards the great Emperor Talpa. It is time for them to be crushed into submission," Sekhmet said.

"We will destroy them for the glory of the Dynasty!" Kale said.

"Consider the eastern kingdoms to be yours, Master," Dais said.

"Master, we will set out at once to fulfill your will," Anubis placed his hand over his chest and bowed. "But, Master, tell me, which of us will be leading this glorious campaign?"

The other Warlords rolled their eyes.

"Are you implying that you want it to be you?" Lady Kayura put her hands on her hips as a large smirk spread across her face.

"Well, I don't think it would be such a bad decision…"

"Yes, it would!" Dais spoke up. "Remember the last time…"

"That wasn't my fault!" Anubis exclaimed. "Weather conditions…"

"A general should know these things before he goes into battle," Sekhmet crossed his arms.

"I'll have you know that I've conquered hundreds…"

"Silence!" Talpa boomed.

The Warlords shamefully fell silent.

"I have appointed Kirin to this task."

Kirin jerked his head up. "What?"

"What!" The Warlords exclaimed.

"Kirin will lead the attack against…"

"But, Master!" Anubis exclaimed.

"Silence!" The castle shook with Talpa's fury. "Do you, a mere man, dare to deny my will, Anubis? What I have decreed will be done because I am Talpa, Lord of the Dynasty!"

Anubis groveled before the throne. "I am sorry, Master, I will not speak of things I do not know." He stood up and hurried back to his place, making sure he shot a dirty look in Kirin's direction.

"When do we move out, Master?" Sekhmet asked.

"Tomorrow," The demon Lord began to laugh.

Within a day, the Dynasty forces were prepared to move out from the castle towards the eastern territories. Having no choice, Kirin found himself in the lead pack of the procession as the main general of this campaign. He was known as a strategist, but his abilities still had to be proven to the Warlords. While the other Warlords did not openly contest Talpa's choice of a leader, they whispered quietly among themselves about the decision. However, their condescending remarks were overheard by the young general. He knew quite obviously that they did not trust or believe in his abilities.

Lady Kayura also rode with them, but she did not speak unless she was spoken to. The usual bickering between her and the Warlords was minimal, but still quite non-verbal, with dirty looks and whispers. She was not friendly, when he looked at her. They had managed to have a small conversation two nights ago, but today, she was cold and aloof, barely acknowledging his presence. They traveled on.

Within days, they had crossed the borders of the Kingdom of Sung, the territory to the east. Spreading across miles, rich fertile plains stretched all the way to the ocean coast. On the southern border of the territory, rolling green hills blanketed with thick forests climbed up to the sky. The army marched further into the Kingdom, making camp across the plains. They could not push further towards the capital city on the coast because of the opposing army, but they had marched deep into the heart of the territory.

Fierce battle soon erupted. The Kingdom of Sung was a formidable enemy, led by the famous warrior, Sung Jian. He was an ambitious man, seizing power at any cost, much like Emperor Talpa. In fact, too much like Emperor Talpa that he had to be eradicated. This fact brought some comfort to Kirin's disturbed mind—at least he was not deposing a just ruler. As the war began, Kirin of the Forest, soon proved his abilities to all who doubted.

* * *

Early one morning, as the fog rolled across the camp, General Kirin stepped out of his tent. The young man, who was once mocked, now had a presence that commanded respect from all his warriors. As he moved through the camp, soldiers would immediately stop whatever they were doing and bow to their General. The warrior headed to the main tent. Inside was a large map with the battlefield sketched out in ink. There were wooden pegs to represent the military units to mark out their positions. The tent was empty when he entered, but he immediately set off to work by studying the map.

Soon Kale entered. He came among side Kirin and studied the man himself. He watched as Kirin moved a piece which seemed logical, but Kirin moved it back then moved it somewhere else—somewhere Kale wouldn't have thought, but he marveled after seeing it.

"Where did you learn the art of war?"

Kirin glanced over. "From my father."

"Was he a General?"

Kirin shook his head. "No, he was a carpenter."

"How does a carpenter know such things?"

Kirin turned to the other general. "He only fought when he was necessary. Otherwise, he enjoyed creating—not destroying."

"I suppose you hold such an opinion?"

Kirin nodded, looking back to the map. "Yes," He moved the final pegs into position. "This is our strategy," He pointed to the map.

Kale glanced over it, but then, the other Warlords walked into the tent followed by the other Generals of the army. Lastly, Lady Kayura entered the tent with a young servant girl trailing behind her. The two of them made their way to the back of the tent. The generals circled around the map, waiting for Kirin to speak.

"Is this it?" Dais asked.

"Yes."

"It's good," Dais said, putting his hand over his chin.

"Very good," Sekhmet said.

"It's stupid!" Anubis said. "We should just charge right in there!"

"Our men are tired," Kale said.

"Your men may be tired, but mine are ready to fight for the Dynasty!"

"Kale is right," Dais said. "Our men are worn down. The enemy is full of morale and vigor to protect their land."

"Where is your courage, Dais?" Anubis said. "The Dais I know wouldn't back down from a challenge!"

"Anubis, don't be a fool!" Sekhmet said. "Your pride is getting in the way of what is the best tactic for the battle!"

"Fine!" Anubis crossed his arms. "We'll see who Master Talpa rewards for valor when we return back to the Dynasty. I'll destroy a thousand warriors today!"

Kirin motioned to the map. "Anyway, it will be very important for all generals to stay in position and not to break rank." He glanced over at Anubis in disapproval then turned his eyes back to the map. "Today's battle is depending on this."

The Generals nodded.

"Let us head to battle then!" Dais cheered. The rest of the Generals followed suit.

The leaders exited the tent and headed off to gather their weapons and horses. Kirin headed off towards an open space behind the tent. Kayura was the last to leave the tent, taking a moment to review the map before leaving. As she stepped out and started to walk away, she noticed the young general in the corner of her eye. She turned towards him to watch but staying out of sight behind the tent.

Kirin was in his forest green and copper sub-armor. He stood still with his eyes closed for a moment then his head jerked up. "ARMOR OF FOREST…DAO UN!" As he yelled those words, he spun around moving his hands into a formation. Rolls of kimono cloth surrounded and encircled him then bursting into cherry blossoms. The blossoms wrapped around his body, forming his armor. Soon, the young warrior appeared dressed in his armor, ready for battle.

His armor was a light brown, copper, gold dark brown, green, and dark green. It was mostly the variant shades of brown, but with highlights of the green pallet and the gold. The seal of his armor was black and gold, and there was a maple leaf within a circle. As a weapon, he carried an ono axe which was a long pole-axe. His secondary weapons were smaller hand axes. They were small axes much like hatches. Once his armor was donned, the General walked off to find his horse.

Kayura left her hiding spot to prepare for battle.

* * *

The battle was in the hands of the Dynasty. Without much force or effort, the Dynasty forces slowly wore down the strength and numbers of the enemy warriors. They would lure them in, destroy them, and continue the process over and over again. This plan was effective as long as every man knew his duty and place within the formation; however, one particular General decided to break rank and charge through the enemy lines. While he successfully did this with his men, his absence caused an influx of enemy soldiers to come pouring into the trap the Dynasty army had set. The trap depended on letting a few through their lines to trap and destroy them, but by letting too many in, their own lines would break. The enemy warriors gained the upper hand. Wave after wave of attacks crashed against the Dynasty lines. Enemy soldiers surrounded at all sides. They were outnumbered and in disarray. Some of the soldiers that fought for the Dynasty were nothing more than evil spirits that would return to their Master upon defeat, but some of them were actually human. It was crucial to protect them.

Lady Kayura charged forward, leaping over horse barricades on her black horse. She took swipes at the enemy soldiers with her sai as she rode back and forth, trying to thin out the number of enemy soldiers in the area. Seeing Dynasty soldiers backed into a corner, she tugged on the reigns of her horse and rode forward, swinging her sai. Her arm came up, ready to strike down, but before she could, an arrow struck her through the arm. All feeling left her hand, and her grip released on her sai. The horse jerked up, sending her flying to the ground. The horse fell on top of her legs. She tried to move out from under the horse as the animal tried to scramble away. Finally, the horse got up off her, but it abandoned her. With pain shooting through her entire body, she pulled herself up. Her right arm was completely useless and her legs ached with pain.

The enemy warriors saw their chance to take Kayura out. Immediately, they surrounded her to attack. Kayura reached for her other sai in her holster and fought with her left arm. From all sides, the enemy soldiers poked and swiped at her with swords and spears. She clumsily blocked the attacks one by one as they came at her, but a soldier coming up from behind slashed his sword, striking her across the back. She screamed as the blade sliced through her skin. Instantly, blood started to seep out of the cut across her back. Her knees buckled, and she fell on her wounded back.

Her eyes, watering in pain, stared up into the blue sky. The enemy soldiers surrounded her quickly, standing over her body. One of them raised his sword, ready to finish the job. She closed her eyes as a tear leaked from her eye.

"LEAF BLADE EDGE!"

Kayura's eyes fluttered back open. High in the sky, the warrior of the Forest flew downward, leaves surrounding him like a cyclone and slicing into the enemy warriors. He landed on the ground, slamming his ono axe into the enemy soldiers. Instantly, the warriors around her were destroyed. Kirin kneeled down to Kayura and scooped her up in his arms. She moaned in pain as he touched her body. "You'll be alright. I'll take care of you."

Kayura closed her eyes, the last thing she saw being the Warrior of the Forest.

First Kirin broke the arrow, pushing one side through her arm. He tore a piece of her clothing and tied it around her wound. He then put her on his horse then leapt into the saddle. He jerked the reigns and instantly took off towards the Dynasty camp. He charged through the battlefield, hold Kayura with his left arm, and swinging his axe with the right. As he approached the camp, he began screaming for help. He looked through all the servants and attendants, and quickly found Kayura's handmaiden, Reiko. He rode over to the servant girl and leapt off the horse, holding Kayura in his arms.

"What happened?" Reiko asked, taking her Mistress from Kirin.

"She was shot in the arm with an arrow. She has a severe wound on her back too."

Reiko struggled with Kayura's body so other servants came to help. They immediately carried her off to tend to her needs.

"Thank you, Master Kirin." Reiko bowed to the General.

"Thank you." Kirin nodded, and leapt back on his horse, charging off into the battle.

Kayura was given medical attention, Kirin rode off into battle again, and the Dynasty was handed a crushing defeat that day in battle. As night fell, the warriors tickled one by one into the camp. It was a most disappointing defeat.


	4. Story of the Past Part 3

**Story of the Past Part 3**

The air was so thick that it could be cut with a knife. All the Generals of the army sat around the tent of meeting, eyeing each other down. Hearts were pounding, breaths were heavy, and tensions were high.

General Kirin entered the tent. The other Generals stood to attention and saluted. Kirin saluted them then took a seat.

"Kayura…" Sekhmet looked up "Is she alive?"

Kirin nodded. "Yes, she is well. Her fever has broken. No infection should set it."

Dais sighed. "What are we going to do? We've lost so many men yesterday, and Kayura almost died…"

"Who cares about Kayura?" Anubis crossed his arms. "She's nothing but a…"

"Talpa cares about her!" Sekhmet barked. "If we go back to the Dynasty without Kayura, you know it's our heads that'll take the blame!"

"She _is_ his favorite." Dais crossed his arms. "You know that."

"Besides that," Kirin firmly interrupted the bickering. "She is an asset to this army that we cannot afford to loose." He looked over everyone. "I know that you're all just as worried as I am about our numbers. A crushing defeat fell upon us, but if we change our strategy…"

"And why should we listen to you?" Anubis asked. "You're the one who got us into this mess!"

Kale jumped up out of his seat and grabbed Anubis by the collar. "You're the one who broke rank yesterday and allowed the enemy to break out lines, you fool!" He threw Anubis across the room, sending him flying into other generals.

Anubis quickly jumped up ready for a fight, but he was subdued by Dais and Sekhmet. Kirin leapt in-between the fight and ordered peace. Anubis pulled away from his captors and brushed the dirt off his clothing. "If I am not wanted here, then perhaps I should go back to the Dynasty?"

"Finally, you have a good idea!" Kale hollered.

Anubis charged out of the tent.

The rest of the Generals stayed quiet as Anubis hastily left the tent. They looked around at each other quietly for a moment then continued to business.

Kirin sighed, looking at the map in the tent. "We've got to split their attention to divide their forces."

"How can we do that?" Dais asked. "We can't split our forces either."

"If I recall, Talpa has a large navy base to the north."

Sekhmet nodded. "Yes, Master Talpa, does, but it would take two weeks for them to arrive."

"If we call down the navy to attack the city while we keep putting pressure on the plains, they will have two fronts to fight on," Dais said.

"Right," Kirin nodded.

"It could work, that is, if we can hold out for two weeks," Kale said. "If not…"

Kirin nodded again, studying the map.

* * *

After a long and tiresome meeting, Kirin left the tent and headed immediately towards the edge of the camp where Lady Kayura's tent was. He gingerly pulled back the flap and stepped inside, greeting Kayura's servant girl.

"Lord Kirin," Reiko bowed.

"Has she awaken?"

Reiko shook her head. "No, my Lord, she has not."

Kirin looked over at bed. Lady Kayura lay peacefully under a soft blanket. Her breathing was quiet and gentle compared to the rough night she endured the night before. "She looks much better,"

"Yes, my Lord, very much." Reiko walked over to the door. "Perhaps if you come back later, my Lord, she might be awake."

"I will wait for her,"

"But you waited all last night," Reiko said, confused.

"I will wait," Kirin insisted.

Reiko bowed her head. "As you wish, my Lord." She left the tent.

There was a chair next to the bed. Kirin walked around to the other side of the bed and sat down. He waited all afternoon. As the hours passed, Kirin leaned back into the chair and closed his eyes, falling asleep. Dusk came and swept over the land, darkening the tent. Reiko, coming in to check on her mistress, lit the candles within the tent to light. She noticed Kirin asleep in the chair, but she said nothing, letting him sleep.

As the night passed on, Kayura began to stir. Soft moans escaped her lips as her body started to shift in the bed. Kirin's eyes flew open at the sound, and he immediately sat up in his chair. Kayura fluttered her deep blue eyes open and looked around, only seeing Kirin. She tried to sit up, but pain shot through her arm.

"Don't move!" Kirin exclaimed, jumping up to help her. He helped her sit up in her bed then sat back down in his chair.

"What happened?"

"You were shot in the arm."

"I can feel that," She winced. "What about my back?"

"Sword," He said.

Kayura glanced around. "Where is Reiko?"

"I don't know." He looked around the dark tent then got out of the chair. He walked over to the exit and opened the flap, sticking his head out to look around. The servants were gathered around a campfire eating. "It's dinner time." He turned back into the tent. "Are you hungry?"

"No."

"Thirsty?"

"No."

With a smirk, Kirin stood at her side and looked down at her. "I suppose that I will leave you alone now."

"That would be a good idea," She said, tartly.

"Rest well," He left the tent. As he stepped out, Reiko looked up from her dinner. "Lord Kirin, is she…"

"Yes, she is."

Reiko put her plate down on the wooden log she sat on and left the other servants to tend to Kayura. She rushed into the tent and immediately surveyed her Mistress. "Lady Kayura, are you well? Do you need anything?"

"No, Reiko," Kayura hissed as she turned over. "Where were you?" Kayura snapped. "And what was that General doing in my tent?"

"Lord Kirin?" Reiko asked. "He's been at your side all day and night."

"He has?" Kayura jerked her head towards Reiko.

"Yes, my Lady, he has." The tent was quiet for a few moments. "He saved your life, my Lady."

"I don't need him," Kayura spat. "I'm just fine on my own."

"Yes, my Lady," Reiko bowed.

* * *

As they had hoped, the Dynasty forces were able to hold out until the Dynasty Navy arrived. They anchored a miles to the south, hopefully out of the sight of the Kingdom of Sung, and sent a message to the Generals of the Dynasty. The next plan was to sent the navy up to attack the city, sweep the costal plains with chariots, and lay siege to the city with the ground forces. The three attacks to divide their attentions, the Kingdom of Sung would be overwhelmed. Kirin laid out his plan to the other Generals as they sat around the tent of meeting. As they listened, they seemed in support of such a plan.

"We're going to have to split up our personnel for such an adventure," Dais said. "What do you propose?"

Kirin nodded. "Yes, that is correct." He looked to Sekhmet. "If I am not mistaken, Sekhmet, you have experience in naval warfare?"

"That is correct." Sekhmet nodded.

"I will send Sekhmet and Dais to lead the naval attack while Kale and Anubis will stay behind to lead the siege on the city."

Kale looked up at Kirin, clearly frustrated that he had to work with Anubis. Kirin only flashed Kale a smirk when nobody was looking.

Kirin looked over the room, locking eyes on the young woman in the back sitting with her handmaiden. "And Kayura will lead the costal plain attack with me."

She looked up.

The bells began to ring wildly, signaling the time for lunch. Kirin dismissed the Generals for lunch, but as the Generals and the other warriors exited, Kale and Kayura stayed behind. Kale managed to get to Kirin first while Kayura and her handmaiden lingered in the back.

"General…" Kale uttered.

"Yes, I know." Kirin said with a smirk.

"But why?" Kale said, almost whining, for out of all the Warlords, he hated Anubis the most. "Why him?"

"I need someone to keep him in line." Kirin looked at Kale. "If he disobeys his orders and does what he wants, I can count on you to do your duty."

"Yes, General, I will do my duty."

Kirin nodded. "I know you will. You're a good man, Kale." He padded Kale's shoulder.

A small smile crossed the Warlord's face. Rarely was he ever called good or encouraged for his abilities. He stood up straight, filled with pride, and saluted the General. He then left the tent.

Kayura stood up from her seat in the back of the tent while her handmaiden remained seated. She walked straight up to Kirin with an angry look on her face.

"Yes?" He asked as she approached.

"Is there any particular reason why you have made such a dumb decision?"

"What do you mean?"

"I should have been left here to siege the city."

Kirin shook his head. "No, I need you on the costal plain. We need speed, not brute strength."

"Well, maybe I don't want to go," She said, putting her hands on her hips.

He smirked. "You're sounding like Anubis."

She shot him a dirty look.

"Kayura, listen to me," Kirin said. "You're one of the best warriors here. I need you with me to strike quick and effectively to take the coast." He looked her straight in the eye. "Why don't you get your lunch and then rest for the afternoon?"

"I'm not weak!"

"I know you're not."

Kayura turned around looking at her servant. "Reiko, let's go!"

"Yes, my Lady." Reiko stood up and immediately came to her mistress' side.

The two left the tent.

Kirin smirked as he followed behind them.

* * *

Kayura walked around the camp inspecting the construction of the chariots. She stopped for a moment, taking a closer look at the wheel of one of the chariots. She nodded in approval to the builder then continued moving. They had traveled further down the plains to the coast and set up a new camp to build chariots. After quick assembly, they would storm up the coast to wipe out the enemy forces. As she moved through the camp, she stopped for a moment.

"Look here, the axel is loose," Kirin said, lying underneath a chariot.

The soldier bent over and looked at the axe. "Yes, General, I'll fix that right away."

"Otherwise, it looks good," Kirin came out from under the chariot and looked up. "Kayura."

"General." She nodded.

He stood up from off the ground then looked up into the sky. "I think it should be about lunch time. Would you care to join me?"

"Actually, I…"

"I have some battle strategy I'd like to discuss."

"I suppose then."

The general wiped his dirty hands on a handkerchief as he escorted Kayura into the meeting tent of the camp. He pulled back the large flap of the tent and motioned for her to go first. The servant finished setting up as they entered.

"Thank you, Jiro." Kirin nodded towards the servant.

"Yes, Master." The servant bowed.

Kayura glanced over at Kirin, finding it strange that he thanked his servants for doing their job. As she sat down, she tried to remember if she ever thanked Reiko for anything, but she could think of nothing.

Kirin sat down across the table from her. "Would you like some rice?" He asked.

She nodded.

He passed her the rice bowl before taking any for himself. She awkwardly smiled at his kindness and took the bowl. He watched as she filled her own bowl, making her feel uncomfortable. When she was finished, she passed it to him.

"Is that all you're eating?" He asked.

"Yes," she said.

He continued to fill his bowl, much more than Kayura did.

"You're eating all that?" She asked.

"Yes," He said.

"Aren't you worried about getting fat?" She asked, marveling at all the rice he was eating.

Kirin burst out into laughter.

She nervously looked around for a moment then began to faintly smile at his laughter.

"I just have a big appetite," He smiled before starting to eat. "I've always been like that."

"What—a bottomless pit?"

Kirin smirked. "That's what my mother called me."

"Mother?" Kayura looked up from her rice bowl. It had many years since she thought about the concept of mother, and as she tried to remember, she found that she could not remember the image of her own mother. "You have a family?"

"Had a family," Kirin said. "I had a father, mother, and three sisters…"

"A wife? Children?" Kayura asked.

Kirin shook his head. "No."

"Where is your family now?"

"Dead." He said solemnly.

She figured out why by putting the pieces of the mystery together. This was why he was part of the Dynasty—as a prisoner. Conversation stopped between them for a few moments as they continued eating, but she continually would glance up for brief moments to look at his sub-armor.

"Where did your armor come from?" Kayura finally broke the silence.

He looked up from his lunch, surprised she actually wanted to talk to him. "From my father."

"How did he get it?"

"It has been passed down through the generations. Supposedly, my great-great-great...no wait…great-great grandfather found the orb of the armor embedded in the trunk of a large tree." Kirin took a drink then continued, "We've used the armor to protect our village from bandits."

"Oh," Kayura turned back to her lunch.

Just then, a soldier entered the tent and saluted the General. "General Kirin, your personal chariot has been assembled. It is waiting for your inspection."

"Personal chariot?" Kirin looked confused. He rose from the table and headed towards the door. Kayura followed. The soldier led them out of the tent. They walked a short distance through the camp until they came upon a large golden chariot lined with gemstones and ornate designs.

"This is it?" Kirin asked. "Don't you think it's a bit extreme?" He put his hand on the edge of the golden chariot. "Gold?"

Kayura smirked. "It's Anubis' chariot."

He looked at her. "Why am I not surprised?"

"It is ready for your inspection, General," The soldier said.

"Well, I suppose I better take it for a spin to see if it'll handle well in battle." Kirin stepped up into the chariot and grabbed the reigns. He looked back to Kayura. "Lady Kayura, would you care to join me?"

"Not really," She crossed her arms.

"My Lady, this will also be your chariot for the upcoming battle," The soldier said.

Kayura sighed while rolling her eyes and stepped into the chariot next to Kirin.

"Servants! Tie up the horses!" The soldier yelled at the nearby servants. Immediately the servants rushed over and began to hook the horses up to the chariot.

Kirin stared down at the gold chariot. "It must blind his enemies in battle."

"That or it's a bribe gift when he's captured," Kayura said.

Kirin chuckled.

One of the servants kneeled down on the ground, trying to hook up the horses, but as he was in the grass, a toad leapt out at him. He screamed and jerked back, causing the horses to real up. The chariot jerked forward, sending Kayura into Kirin's arms.

Immediately the soldier began yelling at the servants, but in the chariot, Kirin helped Kayura up, still holding onto her.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yes, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Okay then."

Her face flushed a bright red. "You can let go of me now."

"Oh," His face flushed. He removed his hands from her waist. He turned forward and cleared his throat. "Tell me when we're ready," He said to the soldier.

"Yes, General."

* * *

The storm through the costal plains swept across the enemy kingdom, destroying thousands of soldiers in their path. They pushed forward in record timing to the capital city to be met by a naval attack on the harbor and a siege on the city gates. The plan that Kirin had devised was a success. The naval forces created a blockade, creating an impregnable barrier around the city. None could escape the siege from all sides.

It would be only a matter of days before the Kingdom of Sung would surrender. Messengers were sent back to Talpa to share the good news, and material signs of his favor were brought back in the form of gold, silver, and other possessions of wealth. These were all laid before the feet of the generals, but most of the share was designated to General Kirin.

As the Generals lined up around the meeting tent to receive their share, Kirin was presented with a personal message from Lord Talpa along with his share of the treasure. Kirin dismissed the servant and turned his attention to the scroll. While the other Generals marveled over the exotic treasures, Kirin broke off the clay seal to the scroll and began to read quietly.

The Warlords pushed and shoved one another trying to open the trunk and dig through it to find the most precious items. Anubis was at the front, digging through a pile of gold coins—he personally liked to find the gemstones due to their value. Dais slipped his hands around Anubis' arm and stared pulling out handfuls of treasure.

"Ugh…It's a book! Kale, you take it!" Dais handed up the book to a standing Kale.

The quiet man took the book and opened it, walking off to read by himself. However, Sekhmet got down on his hands and knees and stuck his head into the chest. "Is there anything for me?"

"I don't think we're going to find a snake in here," Dais said. "Oh, wait, I'm wrong." He pulled out a golden snake statue. "Must be some tribal idol or something."

"Let me see that!" Sekhmet grabbed it from Dais' hands. "It's an idol of Jainan, the snake god. I think it's from the Duran Empire."

"Well, they're dead! So let's enjoy their stuff while it's here!" Anubis said. He smiled as his hands clasped onto a ruby. "This one is mine."

Kayura watched as those Generals made fools out of themselves. They graveled and humiliated themselves for the sake of wealth, which truly, was only an illusion of power. She shook her head as she watched them from the corner of the tent, but as something caught her eye, she quickly looked up. Kirin, apparently angry from what he read in Lord Talpa's letter, quietly stormed out of the tent. Kayura looked back to the Generals then quietly headed towards the exit.

"Hey, Kayura, what'd you get in your trunk?" Dais looked up.

Kayura looked back towards the small treasure chest that Lord Talpa had sent for her. The lock was still unbroken. She shrugged. "I don't know."

"Open it! Find out what Master Talpa sent you!" Sekhmet said.

"Yeah, he probably sent you something nice because you almost died this time." Dais smiled.

Kayura shrugged again. "I don't really care. Here." She threw the key to Dais. "You find out for me."

Dais caught the key. "Hey, thanks."

Kayura left the meeting tent. Curious, she walked through the campgrounds towards Kirin's tent. Her mind wandered over the possible messages that could have been in the letter, but none of her guesses satisfied her. Most of the soldiers were eating around their campfires at this moment, but they still saluted her as she passed through the camp. Finally, she arrived at the other side of the camp and headed towards Kirin's tent.

She stood outside the door for a moment, listening, but she didn't hear anything at first. After standing there for a few moments, she began to hear conversation.

"Master Kirin, I am very sorry to hear about this. I can understand why you are upset." Kirin's personal servant, Jiro, answered. "Is there anything I can do for you, Master?"

"No, you may be dismissed for the night. I need to be alone for a while."

"Thank you, Master."

Quicker than Kayura thought, the door to the tent flew open and the servant named Jiro stepped out.

"Lady Kayura, you startled me. May I be of service to you?"

"No…thank you…Jiro." Kayura said, awkwardly, her first time being polite to a servant.

Kirin stepped out of the tent. "Lady Kayura."

"Kirin," She blurted out in surprise. "I didn't mean to bother you. I will be going now."

"No," He stepped back into the tent. "Why don't you join me for a cup of tea?"

"Well, I…"

"Come on." He motioned her to come inside.

"Alright," She nodded, curious about the contents of the letter.

"Master, would you like me to prepare Lady Kayura and your Lordship the tea?"

Kirin put his hand on Jiro's shoulder. "No thank you, Jiro, I dismissed you for the night. Now go—have some dinner, get some sleep."

"Yes, Master," Jiro bowed then headed off into the night.

Kirin held his arm out, motioning her into the tent. "Make yourself comfortable while I prepare the tea."

Kayura stepped into the tent. She had never been in Kirin's personal tent before. The surroundings were comfortable—wooden furniture, soft bed, bearskin blanket, handmade oak chairs. It felt more like a home than quarters on a battlefield. She took a seat on one of the oak chairs and watched as he started to prepare the tea.

"We should be home soon—within a month I bet."

Kirin sighed, hating to think the Dynasty could ever be home. "Yes."

"Going home after battle is always exciting. Master Talpa is always very pleased when we return from battle."

"Yes, clearly," Kirin muttered.

"Is something wrong?"

"It's not important." Kirin walked over with two cups of tea. He handed one to Kayura then took a seat in the oak chair across from her.

Kayura glanced over to the table in Kirin's tent. It served as a place Kirin took his meals and a place we worked on paperwork. The scroll Talpa sent was sitting right there. "What did Master Talpa have to say to us? I cannot read so I need you to tell me what it said."

"It was to me," He said solemnly before taking a drink.

"What did it say?" She asked, clearly seeing that the matter upset Kirin.

The warrior paused for a moment, staring into his tea. After a while, he took a deep breath and spoke, "Talpa thinks that he will be able to entice me to serve his evil purposes."

"Master Talpa is the ruler of the Dynasty. He does what he must to rule this world."

"Why does this world need to be ruled by one man—man? What I am talking about? Talpa is a monster!"

"Master Talpa is our Lord. He is the most powerful being in all the Netherworld. It is his right to subdue and conquer."

"At what price?" Kirin leapt out of his chair. "How many people must die for Talpa to be happy? How many families ripped apart? How many orphans? How many widows? How many burnt villages? How many cities lying in ruins?" He put his hand over his head. "My heart cannot take this anymore. I don't want to be here."

Kayura set her tea down on the end table and stood up. "Then what do you want?"

"I…" He paused for a moment, staring into her deep blue eyes. He slowly took a step forward. His hands slowly came up, and his fingers gently grazed against her flushed cheeks as he leaned in.

"Kirin?" She breathed out, their warm breaths against each others faces.

"I want you," He said, just before leaning forward. Gingerly, his hands rested against her head. He slowly moved in, gently pressing against the sweet treasure of her virgin lips.

Her eyes closed as she received her first kiss. Captured at the age of five and raised by Master Talpa to be a merciless warrior, there was no opportunity for experiences with the opposite gender, but here in this moment, after over 400 years of existence, she experienced her first kiss.

After regaining her thoughts, she pulled back, frightened. Torrents of emotions and thoughts swirled within her heart and mind. Everything she had ever been taught screamed out against her in this moment, but something deep down, called out for more.  
A forgotten piece of her soul had awakened—her heart. It started to beat wildly as the two stared each other down.

"Kayura?" He breathed. He stood up straight and regained his composure. "Lady Kayura, I apologize for my behavior. I should not have done such a thing."

Kayura stood up straight too. She continued to stare him down for a few moments, but then she took a slow step forward, approval and fear washing over her face. Quickly, Kirin stepped forward, embracing the young woman. She immediately buried her head into his chest while he stroked her long blue hair. It was her first embrace from a man, and it felt wonderful.

They stayed like that for a few moments, just silent, but as the time passed, Kayura excused herself from his presence, leaving the tent with a smile. Kirin stood alone in the tent, feeling himself smile on the inside for the first time in many months. He turned back to the table and looked at the letter. He picked it up and tore it to shreds.

Nothing Talpa could offer him would ever compare to the delights and joy of loving another person. At this moment, Kayura was the one who controlled his heart, not Talpa. The mysterious Lady Kayura had become Kirin's treasure.


End file.
